Willie is the only one of the brood that brings in his prey unharmed, which sets off a burlesque routine - Norm vs four felines. Scene: I'm reading groups when an announcement: Mew. (Willie makes a very small sound usually, I used to think it was whiny but with time it was just Willie's polite request, like: "Look what I brought you"). Except I wasn't paying attention and then Loos is scrambling and digging around a small file box. Squeak. Squeak. Now I know it's a chippie. (No, not that kind of burlesque! A small rodent. Fodder for the felines).

I grab Loos, drop her in the pantry and close door securely for a change. Second escape for Chippie. Grab a dish towel, move the file box, cover Mr Chips with the towel and gather him up... whoops, he finds a way out and runs through the dining room, Willie and - good grief! - Beastie in pursuit: Carnivore Emeritus. (He'd been abandoned as a kitten so he lived by hunting - after he adopted me, when he was fed he'd go back outside and find a lizard for dessert). But Chippie escapes somewhere behind the sofa or stereo/video combine. At least 4 or 5 Jaws escapes.

I can't find him so Loos goes loose - might as well get this over with, I'm back to the Net. But. More scrabbling, squeaks. Loos and Willie have the paper-recycle box cornered. Loos - back to the pantry and try the towel routine again but chippie and I play El Toro til I realize, hey, open the front door and see if he runs to daylight. He does, and squeezes by the hinge and out on the deck. Uh. Except Case and Beastie are already outside. A few scampers about the deck and I manage to scare the chippie to jump down to the trim and then (I think) under the deck. Probably nine lives altogether.

So this chippie gets home. I can imagine the conversation with Mrs. Chipmunk. "You wouldn't believe it. There were nine MONSTERS that grabbed me in their teeth, I beat them all AND this gigantic tree that kept trying to grab me! It was HORRIBLE. I don't know how I got away!" "SO? Where's the acorn you were going to get for dinner?"

Copyright © Norm deCarteret
May 21, 2002